MLS is “Back”
- Updated: June 26, 2020
In an all new format, the MSL is “back” in action starting July 8th. There doesn’t appear to be any conditions that would prevent the league from restarting, so we can be fairly sure it will not be halted.
The new format is a tournament style, similar to any other tournament. A group stage with 39 matches, and knockout rounds of 15 matches played in a Round of 16, Quarters, Semis, and a Championship game.
All in Orlando.
So, all teams are to fly to Orlando no less than 7 days prior to the tournament start. The MLS website has a pretty good run down of all the pertinent facts for the tournament, so click here to go direct to the information.
It’s taken the MLS a long time to get to this point. We’ve been hearing about the likelyhood of a tournament format, and that tournament being held in Florida.
Right now the country is experiencing a significant increase in reported COVID-19 cases and Florida is no exception. Orange County in Florida, home of Orlando, has had significant increases in cases since the end of May. Their reopening (did they ever really close?) has been largely reported as cavalier – very few people wearing masks and social distancing not really a concern. Here is a graph from John Hopkins University who have been tracking the statistics with exceptional details:
I’m not feeling all that great about the decision to house all MLS teams in one general area. All those young guys housed for a month in an area that has shown a distain for safety. I worry for their health but particularly for their families when they go home. I’m just not so sure this is a very good solution. The decision is made, and one that is intended to minimize the economic impact of both the suspension of games and the costs associated with reopening the season on a normal travel and play schedule. The U.S. is not Europe, and the travel is much more impactful on the budget.
But it’s a worry that only time will reveal as warranted or not.
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